Recreation, in conjunction with physical activities, has emerged as a significant component to Health and Wellness initiatives, quality of life issues and as a major economic sector in its own right.  In response, bike routes and multi-purpose trail systems are no longer luxuries, but basic components of regional transportation and infrastructure systems.  Intelligent regions develop recreation as a colorful ‘palette’ of opportunities that form a network throughout the region.  Destination venues, hospitality, and land-based or water-based activities (from the tame to the “peak experience” activities geared to experienced sportsmen) are woven together into the region’s recreational tableau.

The Mississippi River Corridor parkway will provide access along paved and unpaved roads into a network of recreational sites between the Chickasaw bluffs and the Mississippi River.  In this broad floodplain on the Mississippi lie beautiful lakes, quiet streams and protected forests.  Bird watchers (the fastest growing segment of recreation in the U.S.) will find a string of wildlife refuges that serve as resting and refueling stations along the Mississippi ‘flyway’, which serves 60% of all bird species in the U. S.  Bicyclists and hikers (significant national market) and hunters and fishermen (significant regional market) will find rich opportunities for recreational exercise at heavily wooded forests and backwater lakes.  As recreational use develops, outdoor recreation suppliers will find business niches such as rentals of bicycles and boats.  For experienced sportspersons, the Mississippi beckons with world-class kayaking challenges. 

Active parents and families that encourage activity (particularly outdoor) influence how their children view exercise. Activity levels tend to decline as toddlers progress to teenagers, but family influence remains steady into adolescence even in the face of peer pressure. The expansion of organized sports combined with the rise of computers and electronic forms of entertainment has created an ever-widening gap in children’s activity levels. Proximity to attractive, pleasant and safe places to play and exercise has also declined.  We hope to provide healthy solutions that will greatly benefit our citizens as they explore the scenic destinations within the Corridor.

The Mississippi River Corridor is dedicated to providing more opportunities for West Tennessee families to improve economically, educationally, spiritually and physically by providing easy access, ever-increasing recreational activities and knowledge about our beautiful region.

Facts on Overweight and Obesity

Obesity in Tennessee

• Tennessee ranks 48th in the U.S. in obesity. More than 61% of Tennesseans are either overweight or obese.
• The risk of developing heart disease among Tennesseans is 21% above the national average.
• Annual obesity-related medical expenses in Tennessee are more than $ 1.8 billion
• Approximately 110,000 children in the Greater Memphis area are either overweight or obese.

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General

It is estimated that 64 percent of Americans are either overweight or obese, and Americans are growing heavier every year – obesity in adults has doubled since 1980.

The prevalence of obesity continues to grow. Since the early 1990s the prevalence of those who are obese (BMI of 30 or more) has increased 33 percent.

Obesity is a condition in which a person is very overweight and puts one at increased risk for developing major health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, some forms of cancer, and others.

Obesity profoundly affects life span. A 20-year-old white woman with a BMI greater than 45 is estimated to have eight years of life lost due to obesity.

Childhood Overweight (source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unless otherwise noted)

Excess weight continues to be a public health problem, increasingly more for children.

• The percentage of children and adolescents who are overweight has more than doubled in the past 30 years.
• Fifteen percent of children and teens aged 6-19 years are considered overweight - more than 9 million young people.

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Economic Facts of Obesity

• The cost to America for obesity – which plays a role in cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease – is estimated at $117 billion each year
• The average increase in spending for a person who is overweight or obese was $732 per year - 37.4 percent more than for normal weight individuals.
• Medical costs linked to obesity account for nine percent of all health expenditures.

Health and Wellness Links:

Healthy Memphis Common Table
Tennessee On The Move
Obesity Research
Patient Inform.org
TN Commission on Youth & Children
American Heart Association
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- Dept. of Health and Human Services

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